Hideo Kojima Games Ranked from Great to Masterpiece

There are still a several authors whose perception and creativity are undeniable despite the fact that making video games is very much a team effort. These are executives who are home titles almost on par with video traditions like Steven Spielberg and Guillermo del Toro. And there is apparently no bigger title in the video game industry than […]…]…

The article Hideo Kojima Games Ranked from Great to Masterpiece appeared second on Den of Geek.

There are still a several authors whose perception and creativity are undeniable despite the fact that making video games is very much a team effort. These are executives who are home titles almost on par with video traditions like Steven Spielberg and Guillermo del Toro. There is perhaps no other title better known than Hideo Kojima in the world of video games.

While generally known for his work on the Metal Gear Solid line, Kojima has led creation of more than a few titles during his famous job, receiving universal admiration for his work. We figured it was time to review these names now that his most recent activity, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, is set to be released. These are the activities directed by Hideo Kojima ranked from worst to best.

cnx. command. cnx ( playerId:” 106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530 ), ) -push ( function ( ). render ( “0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796” ), }),

Honorable Mention: Boktai: The Sun is in Your Hand ( 2003 )

Boktai wasn’t really directed by Kojima, so it doesn’t really qualify for this list, but Kojima did style it and work as maker, and his prints can clearly be seen all over it. Boktai‘s main attraction is the light detector on the Game Boy Advance cylinder, which is essentially a cunning action gameplay ( like most of his headings ). You need to really go outside during the day to command the thermal weapons in the game used to destroy the dead, which makes it much easier to perform.

Yes, it’s quirky but also really enjoyable, and given the state of smartphone games right now, we’ll possibly never see another match quite like it. Even if consoles may take away the need for the light device, it’s still for tracking down a GBA and an original bullet to practice this one as it’s meant to be played.

12. Metal Gear ( 1987 )

Kojima’s debut film is by no means terrible; it’s just a little written, which isn’t surprising given that it was released in 1987. And hey, everything has to go at the base of this list. Nonetheless, the stealth gameplay is simple to pick up, and the graphics and music are also good. This is, after all, the basis that very little all cunning matches are also built around.

It’s just that it’s frequently easy to get stuck. Some facts about what to do next are nearly impossible to figure out without looking them up. It’s also a very small game if you do use a manual. However, the sport is now easily available in the just released Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection, so it’s worth checking it out there.

11. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake ( 1990 )

Metal Gear 2: Good Snake is incredibly advanced compared to its predecessor, despite being available on the weak MSX2. This is what makes it truly impressive. Opponents can then place you more easily and follow you between screens and there are a lot of options to escape and divert them as well. &nbsp,

Then there’s the story, exploring the nature of warfare which is a common theme for Kojima games, is surprisingly mature for its time. Metal Gear 2 is undoubtedly one of the best games of the era despite the restrictions of being made for an eight-bit computer in 1990. It felt years ahead of its time.

10. Policenauts ( 1994) )

More than 30 years after its initial release, Policenauts remains Kojima’s only game never officially released in the West. That, however, has nothing to do with its quality. In fact, it features some of the best writing of any of the games he’s directed. The game is a hard science fiction tale about a police officer who has spent more than 20 years in cryosleep. It can be best described as a visual novel or interactive movie.

It’s kind of like Blade Runner but with a lot of Lethal Weapon sprinkled in for good measure. Sega Saturn was released in North America in 1996, but it seems that the programmers ‘ way of programming made the translation from Japanese to English too expensive and challenging. While there’s certainly still some interest in seeing the title here, it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen any time soon.

9. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots ( 2008 )

It becomes a little challenging to assign any sort of ranking to any Metal Gear Solid game that Kojima has directed has been hailed as a masterpiece. Still, Metal Gear Solid 4 is just a bit below the other titles in the series. The PlayStation 3 is still an incredible showcase of what that console was capable of, with stunning graphics that still hold up well today.

The problem is that Guns of the Patriots is a little too self-indulgent. As a result of Koima’s desire for Solid Snake’s story to be the most epic of its conclusions, knottling every kink in the complicated plot. There are some very unnecessarily long cutscenes here to the point that they get in the way of the game’s pacing. It’s still a fantastic conclusion. It could just use a little trimming. &nbsp,

8. Sons of Liberty in Metal Gear Solid 2 ( 2001 )

Metal Gear Solid 2 is still somewhat divisive among fans. Many people wanted a next-gen version of Metal Gear Solid, which had become the first PlayStation, when it was released. And that’s exactly what they got at the start of the game. Then the notorious protagonist switch occurs. It turns out that Solid Snake isn’t actually the star of the game. Instead, it’s Raiden, a character who was completely new at the time.

But once you accept Sons of Liberty for what it is, and not what you might have wanted it to be, it’s one of the most prescient games ever made. It was published in 2001, years before social media became a part of our lives, and it forecast the rise of echo chambers, how they could be used to influence public opinion, and even warned of the dangers of AI. Even in 2025, there are few games that feel as relevant.

7. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain/Metal Gear: Ground Zeroes ( 2014 )

Yes, we’re going to lump Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain together because the gameplay is largely the same and it’s really more of a prologue than a completely separate entity. Luckily, the gameplay really is the star here. The titles” The Phantom Pain and Ground Zeroes” seem to have taken the series ‘ long-standing concepts further. There are numerous ways to tackle each mission, and somehow, the enemy AI always seems to adapt to your choices. These are the most unfinished Metal Gear games to date.

But what’s really incredible about The Phantom Pain in particular is just how good it is given that it appears to have been rushed through the final phases of development due to the crumbling relationship between Kojima and publisher Konami. If the game had been more in line with Kojima’s vision, it might even be a little higher up on this list. &nbsp,

6. Snatcher ( 1988 )

Snatcher, a different visual novel, was Kojima’s first true exploration of the close relationship between video games and cinema. The tale of robot” Snatchers” that kill and replace humans was remarkably mature for the era, and didn’t even change much for the Sega CD release in North America, which was a common practice at the time.

Yes, playing a game that is primarily a text-based affair can get a little tiresome, but the writing is so strong and the cyberpunk atmosphere is so moody that it’s simple to get hooked on this one. It’s just a shame that it’s not more readily available on modern platforms, especially with a completed English language translation.

5. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker ( 2010 )

To be completely honest, the PSP was home to a lot of mediocre spinoffs of well-known franchises. And initially Kojima planned to step back as director from Peace Walker. We’re glad he stayed on, though, because the end product is a fascinating amalgam of concepts from the later Metal Gear Solid titles and a design that makes full use of the advantages of a portable.

Gameplay is somewhere between the fourth and fifth MGS games, focusing on shorter missions, but with the addition of co-op for most of them. Yes, it gets a little stale by the end, but at least it’s playable in smaller chunks. And it’s really worth checking out to better understand Big Boss and his motivations in the entire saga. &nbsp,

4. P. T. ( 2014 )

I can think of exactly one time that a demo that was only officially available for a few months has been called one of the greatest and most influential games of all time, but P. T. is just that amazing. P. T. ( short for” Playable Teaser” ) is intended to constantly disorient the player by playing with perspective and the nature of time. It is remarkably simple in its gameplay too, only allowing for walking and zooming in on the scenery. You never quite know what the game will throw at you next, so it’s consistently terrifying and unsettling.

All of this was meant to get people excited for a Kojima-directed Silent Hill game starring Norman Reedus as the protagonist. Unfortunately, Kojima and publisher Konami broke up a few months after P. T. was made available exclusively for the PSN. The game was canceled, and you can’t even redownload P. T. if you didn’t snag it for the few months it was available in 2014 and 2015. However, from the ashes of P. T., we came to a better Kojima game starring Norman Reedus…

3. 2019 Death Stranding

Death Stranding is admittedly not a game for everyone. It certainly has some stealth elements, but it’s not entirely a stealth game like other Kojima titles. There’s multiplayer, but it’s also unlike his past work. There is a lot of walking involved, but it’s not really fair to refer to it as a walking simulator. The best description is that this is a wholly unique action-adventure game with invisible enemies, the need to balance the packages, and the all important “bridge baby” along for the ride.

Even if you pay close attention, the narrative can be incomprehensible at times, but there are unmistakable themes. It especially hit home after the COVID pandemic began just a few months following the game’s release. Death Stranding might not appeal to you, but if it does, it’s one of Kojima’s best and most compelling games to date.

2. Metal Gear Solid ( 2000 )

You can actually divide the video game industry into everything that came before and after Metal Gear Solid. Video games generally struggled in the presentation department before Kojima’s PlayStation 1 masterpiece. You’d get told where to go, maybe a little cutscene would play (usually with poor voice acting ), and you’d be on your way. However, Metal Gear Solid was one of the first titles to truly invest in voice acting and direction, demonstrating that games can be just as cinematic as the best Hollywood movies.

There’s a real sense of urgency to Snake’s mission, and some pitch perfect pacing. This is Kojima at his best when he tells stories. And then there was the gameplay. Although much of it was modified from the first 2D Metal Gear games, such as switching controller ports or need to look up a Codec frequency on the back of the game’s case, demonstrated a level of ingenuity and understanding of the medium that is still far beyond the capabilities of most developers today.

1. Snake Eater in Metal Gear Solid 3 ( 2003 )

Most Kojima games explore near future settings and question the trajectory of technological advancement. Yet his very best game is set during the Cold War of the 1960s, removing the sci-fi trappings for a compelling tale about loyalty, sacrifice, and the nature of patriotism. In Snake Eater, you play as Big Boss back when he was known as” Naked Snake”, and indeed this is Metal Gear Solid stripped down to its bare essentials. You’re crawling through the jungle, camouflageling yourself, and hunting wildlife to stay alive instead of relying on high-tech devices. It’s a raw and memorable experience, and the best possible prequel to the entire Metal Gear Solid. Kojima may one day surpasses this epic, but even after 20 years, it still holds his best game.

The article Hideo Kojima Games Ranked from Great to Masterpiece appeared second on Den of Geek.